


Simon's Visitor

by A_Zap



Category: Carry On - Rainbow Rowell
Genre: AU, Actually more hurt, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, One Shot, Technically the person died before the fic begins, Tragedy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-25
Updated: 2017-09-25
Packaged: 2019-01-05 11:27:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12189114
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Zap/pseuds/A_Zap
Summary: Baz is still missing, Agatha's mad at him, and Penny won't take his concerns about his roommate seriously. Overall, Simon is not happy at how his final year at Watford is going. Then, he receives a Visit from the last person he ever expected. And Simon can't help but feel the loss even if he doesn't understand why.





	Simon's Visitor

**Author's Note:**

> Originally written and posted on FF.net on January 17, 2016.
> 
> One shot.

Simon was frustrated. There were still no signs of Baz at all. He had checked the woods, the fields, the Catacombs, all over the school grounds, but there was still no trace of him. He’d fallen asleep on the ramparts again last night after keeping watch to see if his nemesis was making his way back to school.

Penelope was getting worried, he could tell, but at the same time, he knew she would never listen to his worries. She’d just roll her eyes the moment he brought up his missing roommate. Then again, that was usually her reaction when he brought up Baz.

He didn’t like this whole situation though. There was a horrible twisting in his gut.

Seriously, why didn’t anyone believe him that missing school wasn’t normal for Baz! Or at least a sign that something was wrong.

He sighed as he buttered another piece of toast to go with his sausage, egg, and beans.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Penny said with narrowed eyes. She was, at least, getting suspicious about what he was doing at night. Simon couldn’t really hide how tired he was getting.

“I’m fine.” He grumbled around the food in his mouth. Next to him, Agatha was quiet. She still wasn’t talking to him because of their fight. She wouldn’t even look at him.

Simon continued to eat, trying to think of some place else where he could look for Baz.

Penny opened her mouth to say something, probably a chastise for neglecting his health and studies for his paranoia, but just then she started a bit and her eyes widened at something behind him. Her spoon dropped from her hand.

Actually, the entire room suddenly seemed a lot quieter.

Simon was about to ask her what was wrong when a familiar voice stopped him.

“I should have known you’d be here stuffing your face rather than in our room. I don’t know why I bothered looking there first.”

Baz.

Simon was on his feet and whirling around, ready to confront his roommate on where he’d been and what he was plotting. He had been waiting for this moment since the term began!

He stopped dead in his tracks as he actually saw his adversary.

For the most part, Baz looked normal. His black hair fell onto his forehead and cheeks like it usually did while he played football. He was still taller than Simon, though for once he couldn’t bring himself to be annoyed at that. The taller boy was wearing what appeared to be a very high class jumper (figured) and jeans of all things. (Simon had never imagined Baz wearing something as mundane as _jeans_. He figured he wore suits with waistcoats when he had a choice.) His cloak was more familiar, and all in all, he was dressed as if he had just come from a casual gathering at the club. As per usual, he was also looking down his nose at Simon though his expression was more neutral than he had ever seen it.

More than all that though was what was different.

Baz was translucent, shimmering, just like all the other apparitions that had been making a steady appearance since the beginning of the term.

That meant that this was a Visiting.

Which meant that Baz was d–

All of this took a second to register and Simon dropped the half-eaten piece of toast that he hadn’t even realized he was still holding.

Baz snorted, acting if nothing was wrong. His words showed just how skewed things were. “Really, I always thought that when the time came, _you_ would be the one to do the right thing and kill me.”

Simon snapped out of his shock. “What?” He looked Baz up and down again. He couldn’t believe his eyes. “What’s going on?”

Baz rolled his eyes. “I would think it’s obvious.” He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. “I have a warning and a message for you, so for once it’d be wonderful if you actually listened to someone other than Bunce.”

Indignation rose up in Simon’s chest. “I don’t–“

“Listen, Snow. I don’t have much time.” Baz looked more serious than Simon had ever seen him. He stepped closer so only Simon would hear, lowering his voice. He didn’t think Baz had ever been so close without them being at each other’s throat. “There’s someone close to you who is not as good as you think. Apparently, they’re responsible for not only the attack that lead to my mother’s death, but also the incident that caused this.” He gestured at himself. “He will stop at nothing to get what he wants and he’s not above sacrificing you either if it’s for his view of the so-called ‘greater good.’”

“Why are you telling me this?” Simon couldn’t help but be confused. After all, Baz _hated_ him. He had never done anything but try to kill or sabotage him. “Is this a trick? Or do you expect me to get revenge for you are something?”

Baz looked disappointed at Simon’s supposed lack of intelligence. “I’m _dead._ ”

He said it.

Something in Simon seized up at those words, twisting about until it hurt. It shouldn’t be possible for Baz to be dead.

He was a vampire, stronger than most people. (Though Simon had never been able to prove Baz was a vampire, everyone knew it was true.) Baz was the best mage in their year, his only real competition being Penny. He had a way with words that Simon could only wish for. He was always there; sneaking around or lying on his bed trash talking Simon, but he was _there_.

In all this time that Baz had been missing, Simon had gone over several possibilities. Off plotting, hiding, kidnapped… Maybe even with his family readying for the war.

Dead had never crossed his mind.

“The dead don’t speak lies; there’s no point. For once, I thought I’d give you a heads up that you’re in danger, and this is the thanks I get?” Baz rolled his eyes again. “Besides, if I wanted someone to avenge me, I would have Visited my aunt Fiona.”

Ah, that would be the person to go for that.

“So, why?” Simon asked desperately.

Baz was quiet for a moment, and he almost looked… vulnerable.

“I never hated you.” He said softly, like he was confessing a dark secret. “I knew because of our positions we’d have to fight and you’d kill me, but I never hated you.”

Simon blinked, absolutely speechless.

_What?_

There was a feather-light touch on his chin directing his head a bit. Then, Simon felt lips gently touching his cheek, right on top of a mole that was there.

Baz was kissing him on the cheek.

As if what he just said wasn’t _already_ shorting out his brain.

Distantly, he heard the sound of dishes breaking, but all he could concentrate on was the feeling of Baz’s lips on his cheek. He had never been kissed anywhere other than his lips. Simon wasn’t sure how he felt about it (much less over the fact that it was _Baz_ of all people doing it), but…

Part of him liked it. The gesture made a gentle warmth spread through his chest.

Baz withdrew from his face a bit, but his lips were still at his ear. “Now for the message, since I did once promise you information on your parents, and she’s not strong enough to break through the Veil.”

Simon felt his eyes widen even further.

“Your mother’s name is Lucy.” The vampire said. “And she never would have left you if she’d had a choice.”

A name.

Simon knew his mother’s name. He could feel tears prickling in his eyes, but he really didn’t know what was causing them. This was all a bit much to take in in such a short period of time.

Baz leaned back, a smirk tugging at his lips. He looked off, as if someone was calling him. “Well, time’s up.” He turned back to Simon. “We’ll have to settle the score between us later. Try to make it a long time, Simon.”

Simon reached out to grab the other, even though he was already fading away. “How?” He tried to sound tough, but he was so overwhelmed that it ended up being a broken whisper.

He had to know though.

Baz hadn’t been the only one expecting it to come down to a fight between the two of them.

Baz’s face softened, with a bit of understanding edging into his expression. It was like he understood exactly what Simon was asking and why he was asking. He knew.

How was it that Baz was one of the people who knew him best when they had done nothing but fight all these years?

“I may have been wrong about you being the one to lead me to my death.” Baz replied. “But I was right in thinking that it would end in flames.”

And a vampire, of all people, would have been very flammable.

This particular vampire seemed to survey the entire room one final time, which Simon had quite frankly forgotten about. “Carry on, Simon.” Baz ordered softly, as he faded away into oblivion and the weak grasp Simon had had on him disappeared.

The rest of the room’s sounds returned in a rush. It was as if he and Baz had been in their own world, where nothing beside each other had any effect. With his departure, the rest of the world returned.

Simon felt as if his face were on fire while simultaneously feeling those tears continuing to sting his eyes. He became aware of Penny’s supportive hand on his arm gently helping him to sit as he continued to stare at the place where Baz had been.

Students were shouting and teachers were trying to calm them down but there seemed to be no end to the chaos that had broken out.

After all, while Visitings had become quite common since the beginning of the semester, no one would have expected to see a student who had been mysteriously misplaced for the entire term.

He heard Agatha shouting, “What was that all about?! Why did he kiss you?!” With a glance, he saw a broken teacup next to her plate, indicating she’d been the person to drop something when he’d been kissed.

Kiss.

Simon brought his hand up and placed it where Baz’s lips had met his cheek. He could feel his cheeks redden even more.

Baz kissed him. Apparently, he had never hated him. He had come here to warn Simon that someone beside the Humdrum might be coming for him. He had come to tell him about his mother. He hadn’t even wanted anyone to take revenge.

What the hell?

It seems that in all this time they had been stuck in the same room, he had known nothing about Baz. Or more like, everything he had thought about him was _wrong_.

He had certainly missed the fact that Baz apparently wanted to kiss him.

And, as if all that weren’t enough, Baz was dead.

Penny’s voice whispered in his ear. “Simon, you need to calm down. **_Stay cool!_** ”

How was he supposed to do that? _Baz was dead!_

It felt like the world as he knew it was crumbling. The constant that was his roommate was gone. And a part of him that had been aching since that first day when he saw that Baz still wasn’t at school yet, which was so strange, felt like it had been ripped out. Somehow, he knew that he’d never reclaim that part.

Baz was dead.

Baz had kissed him.

And for some reason, he couldn’t help but feel a sting of regret that he’d never be able to address that with the vampire.

He didn’t even know why he felt like that.

What the hell had happened?

And what was going to happen now?

As pandemonium whirled around him, Simon still reeled from the chaos that was his own emotions and thoughts.

Seriously, what was going to happen now?

**Author's Note:**

> AN: So, this sprang up from the idea of what could have happened if something worse than getting kidnapped by numpties had happened to Baz. If he'd ended up dead, I'm pretty sure he would have at least attempted to Visit Simon. I've got the feeling that the dead in this world basically know everything, as in who would be responsible for their death and stuff, but the laws of the dead prevent them from saying such things outright. Hence why Natasha in the book couldn't just come out and say, "David, the current Mage, is the one responsible for my death" and make everything easier. Instead, she had to be cryptic about it.
> 
> So this is Baz Visiting Simon, not just to warn him, but also because he wants to see him one last time. And finally give into that urge to kiss that mole on Simon's cheek.
> 
> I hope you like it.


End file.
